collectedlogs | INTRO LOG #1

INTRO LOG #1

Welcome to Collected’s first Intro Log! The information we’ve provided about the setting is not exhaustive - feel free to interact with the setting as you see fit. Rather than have specific prompts, our event posts throughout the game will generally have information listed out like this and players may come up with their own prompts.

If you have questions about the setting or the intro log, please ask them HERE in the comment thread! And most of all, have fun, shoppers.

PROMPTS

The first thing anyone does is gasp for air.

It’ll feel like the first breath you’ve taken in years. That’s right; before you can even become aware of your surroundings, the most immediate thing they’ll process is that you’re in water. Foul smelling water - like rotten eggs and decay. It’s pitch black, and you’re swimming in it with only your head above the surface. If the smell doesn’t deter you, the longer you stay in will; the water stings to have on your skin, chemical in nature.

So - you need to get out. This water can’t be okay to stay in. Once you’ve gathered enough about your surroundings, you’ll see that you’re inside a mall, of sorts. There’s a large (non-functioning) escalator in front of you that will lead you to the semi-safe havens of the second floor - but be careful, because everyone’s going to be gunning for that only exit.

» Once on the second floor, exploring will lead you to a few notes of interest: Long windows and tall glass doors show the conditions outside. The sky is a burnt orange, and there is a thick sort of fog on the horizon. Nothing for miles in every direction - just an empty parking lot, completely devoid of life or any sign that anyone has come across this place in many years. Even so, you’ll find the windows and doors unlocked, so getting outside is easy… the problem is what’s out there.

A trip outside will make it instantly clear why you see no life outside the mall’s walls: exposure to the radioactive sun outside causes your skin to bubble with welts, and the thick, toxic air of the outside is impossible to inhale without keeling over. It’s blistering hot, too. Even non-organic creatures would melt or be eroded by the sun’s radioactive qualities. One thing is abundantly obvious: you cannot survive outside. Not now, at least. Those who receive a burn or other damage from the conditions outside will discover that strangely enough, upon returning inside the mall, the wound begins to heal up on its own. Slowly, and extremely painfully, but it’s healing. That’s strange…

» Another thing of note is that there’s a food court on the second floor. There, you’ll find a variety of abandoned restaurants that have varying amounts of non-perishables inside - canned vegetables and preserved meats, as well as dusty old jars of sauces and the like. There are a few walk-in freezers with hefty locks on them, but if the locks are broken or picked, there’s actually some frozen rations, as well! Many of them are not labelled, so the dining experience will be pretty hit or miss. None of the stoves or cooking appliances in the food court work anymore, either, so you’ll have to get creative when it comes to cooking up these ingredients. (Or just, you know, eat them cold.)

» Throughout the mall’s bathrooms, water fountains, and gym showers, you’ll find that all the water in the mall is suspiciously clean. Like, way too clean to be normal in a place as run-down and clearly abandoned as this. You’ll find that toilets flush completely fine, and shower water heats up (eventually). Should you be grateful, or concerned?

» There’s an electronics store on the second floor, as well, along with a internet cafe. Should you try to turn on the computers in the internet cafe, you’ll find that it only opens to the same forum page: a site called Mall Watch. It’ll prompt you to make an account and password if you try posting to it. In the electronics store, you’ll also find that any phone you forage for and try to boot up will also only open up to this forum page. Weird!

» If you’re looking for a place to sleep, the department stores of the mall still have a variety of furniture sets collecting a lot of dust. Then again, no one’s around to tell you where to sleep - and maybe you don’t trust all these new faces you arrived with. If you’re okay sleeping on the floor of a random store, more power to you.

» You’ll probably want to do something about your clothes that were stained by the black water on the first floor.. try foraging for some clothes! Looking around, you’ll find that some clothes stores have some stock left over, though everything’s generally a mess in clothing stores - it’ll take you some time to find anything that’ll fit you. Looking around enough on this second floor, you might end up stumbling across some of your own belongings or clothing, or those of your peers.

More than anything, the longer you explore and scavenge the mall, you’ll recognize how eerily silent it is. If not for you and your peers here, this place would be totally desolate. Clearly, there’s no one around for miles, and as far as you can tell, you’ll only be able to survive here for as long as the supplies here last. No one’s coming to save you - no one even knows you’re here. In every sense of the word, you are alone.

For now.

NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[at least your whole body isn't white! "Silver" definitely looked more like a "Stormy" there for a while. His fur and quills are clean now, though.

He blinks, then holds up a pair of unique-looking combat boots]

Yes, I am! Mine are still damp, but I really want to put my boots back on... but I don't want to rub a blister on my paws, you know? I mean, I could, if I have to, but if there's socks here, I might as well use 'em, right? Ehehe...

Ah... At first, I was surprised to see an animal (?) talking, but you're quite cute, aren't you?

[Stepping out from where he'd been peeking, he approaches the hedgehog and crouches a little. Combat boots...]

In any case, I can't blame you for being interested in something to shield yourself from harm, no matter how small. Though I did pass some socks, they weren't in the best shape...

... Ah... another human that's never met an animal person before... This is so weird. I feel so out of place, ahaha...

[they're very neat! Teal, navy, and white leather with heavy metal soles and unique golden bracers around the tops. They are well taken care of, but a bit stained by the nasty water, and have their fair share of scuffs.]

Yeah, I found these ones -- [he gestures to the kid's socks] -- but they're too small for my feet.

Are animal people a common occurrence? It's true that I've been occupied with so much that it's hard to find free time or go out into the world, let alone my health, but I'd like to think that I'd be aware if that were the case.

[Instead, he's just kind of wondering if maybe this is a massive drug trip in the hospital. Well. Not that he can do anything about it right now, so... More importantly, he reaches to pet the top of Silver's head and then stand, gesturing back where he'd come from.]

I don't mind leading you there, if you'd like to see.

Yeah, I mean... depending on where you are in the world, there may be more animal people than humans. But then there are some cities that are mostly populated by humans.

[Silver seems a bit confused by the pat, but doesn't shy away... but Eichi may get pricked on the quills hidden there]

Uh... sure. I'd like that.

[He thought he felt something sharp there, but by some miracle, misses poking himself too hard, at least this time.]

This way. Ah, it will be a little further ahead, but in the mean time, I suppose we should introduce ourselves? My name is Eichi. Eichi Tenshouin. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hedgehog.

Silver. You can call me Silver. It's nice to meet you, Eichi. Sorry that it had to be in a weird post apocalyptic mall.

If the alternative is turning up in this place alone, then I'd rather meet you here.

[Sure, it's not the ideal meeting place, but at least he didn't drown! And has company.]

Here are the socks, at last, that I had in mind. Ah, you can see that the selection is a bit limited, but...

[They are certainly socks of some sort. They all seem to be ridiculous designs of faces for your feet, and still there aren't a ton left.]

[that does make Silver smile a bit] Yeah... I'm really happy not to be alone.

[being alone was something he was quite familiar with, but hardly something he enjoyed. He always felt a little insecure by himself

Silver looks at the socks and makes a face]

Uh... wow... these are... these are different, alright... But... I won't see them anyway! [he sits down and pulls the weird facesocks over his paws, then puts his boots on over that] There!

In a way, they're a bit charming, aren't they? Fufu... Like a bit of fun, even in this dreary setting.

[Why not have fun with it, right!! He moves to sit somewhere nearby, glancing to check a sort of i-watch looking device on his wrist before he lowers both hands to his lap.]

I hope your feet feel more comfortable.

They will! I'm glad, too. There's not much more annoying than blisters... [Silver smiles] Thanks for the help, Eichi!

Of course. I suppose I'll resume my own search, then, but I hope that we can stay in touch.

INTRO LOG #1

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